This blog is dedicated to sharing the concept that our hands are essential to learning- that we engage the world and its wonders, sensing and creating primarily through the agency of our hands. We abandon our children to education in boredom and intellectual escapism by failing to engage their hands in learning and making.

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Struggle and Rimes

These are from the book Two Hundred Poems for Teachers of Industrial Arts Education, compiled by William L. Hunter.

StruggleLife is forever calling--The school forever still,And the lad who looks from its windowsMust hold him will a will.Teachers and books and playmates Inveigle him to stay--But wind and brook and open fieldCall, "Up, lad! and away."

My mother, having started her kindergarten career teaching in Ft. Dodge, Iowa, loved to tell the story of little Dougie Denker's great escape. Her classroom was on the lower level of the school building, with the windows only slightly above ground level. "Miss Bye, Miss Bye! Dougie's escaped!" her children cried. And no doubt, for many of us, the longing to escape from school or from a long meeting has crossed our minds. The police later found Dougie standing in the road, directing traffic on main street.

Rimes by a CarpenterThe world is filled with music.Sweet and charming to the ear,Lilt of bird and song of human Fill the gloomy heart with cheer;But to me there is no musicSo entrancingly the sameAs the swishing sound that issuesWhen I'm pushing my old plane.

There are cultivated voices, Prima donnas coloratur,Harps and viols and lutes of wonderThat inspire and throb and lure;But to me the Pipes of PanAnd all the rest do naught but failWhen I'm listening to my hammerRinging true upon a nail.

There are bands with martial musicThat expand and thrill the soul;And choirs with heavenly splendorMake the mighty echoes roll;There are thrilling, warlike bagpipesBringing loud the clash of sword,But they sink to mere oblivionWhen I'm sawing through a board.

Let the silver trumpets tremolo,Let the golden-throated sing;Arpeggios, keys and motifsOf course are quite the thing;But I still affirm with vigorThough I'm classed the king of fools,There's a soul-expanding charmAbout the music of my tools. -- A. E. Gray

While these are not the world's greatest poems, they represent a sentiment and set of values we might note as diminished in our current cultural landscape.

About Me

I have been a self-employed woodworker in Eureka Springs, Arkansas since 1976. I live with my wife Jean on a wooded hillside overlooking our beautiful historic community.
In addition to work in my wood shop, I teach children at the Clear Spring School in a program called "The Wisdom of the Hands." My 10th book, Tiny Boxes by Taunton Press in November 2016. I also write for Fine Woodworking and other woodworking magazines.
My resume can be downloaded at
www.dougstowe.com/resume.doc